[Translate to English:] Pinguinbruthöhle und Bedrohung

Brooding and rearing as a joint effort

Humboldt penguins nest all year round in burrows, preferably in so-called guano, the dried excrement of seabirds. The male digs or searches for the burrow. A good nesting burrow increases the chances of finding a mate. Once a breeding pair has been formed, the female usually lays two eggs in the burrow, which are then incubated in turn by the breeding pair for around 40 days.

After the chicks have hatched, they are fed and guarded until they have developed their waterproof plumage and can venture into the sea on their own.

Beware of egg thieves

Sometimes two male penguins form a pair – and they too want offspring. As they cannot produce fertilised eggs themselves, they try to steal an egg from other pairs.

Turn the lights on in the nesting burrow.

Guano harvesting

When good breeding sites are rare

Guano is the dried excrement of seabirds, which accumulates over many years on the ground and on rocky surfaces. At large bird breeding sites, the layer can become several metres thick.

Penguin species such as the Humboldt penguin prefer to dig burrows for their nests in this thick, soft layer of guano, where their eggs and chicks are well protected from the rain and sun, as well as from predators. Highly sought-after as a fertiliser, large-scale guano harvesting began in the 19th century. The penguins lost their breeding grounds and were forced to breed in the open on the ground or at other less suitable nesting sites. Nowadays, guano harvesting is strictly regulated. Breeding seasons must be taken into account and protected areas must be respected. Alternative fertilisers have also largely replaced guano as a fertiliser.

Still relevant: avoid using fertilisers containing guano!

Which threats do penguins face?

Pollution of their habitats

Oil destroys their otherwise water-repellent plumage. They can no longer dive or hunt for food, lose their thermal insulation and become hypothermic.
Plastic waste is a trap – penguins get tangled in it and cannot free themselves.

Climate change

The ice is melting, but some penguin species such as emperor penguins need it for nesting or to rest between dives.
Warmer seas mean less krill – a vital food source for penguins.

Natural predators

Predatory fish and birds eat penguin eggs and chicks
Predators such as sea lions and orcas eat penguins

Did you know?

Penguins are always camouflaged. Their black backs make them invisible from above, camouflaging them in dark water. Their white undersides, on the other hand, make them invisible against the light sky.